In a statement yesterday, Petronas said, Block 6 covered an area of about 559 square kilometres (sq km) in water depths of between 30 and 80 metres, and would be operated by PC Carigali Mexico in a 50:50 partnership with Ecopetrol, Colombia’s national oil company.

Last year, Petronas was awarded deepwater Blocks 4 and 5 in a joint-venture partnership, following Mexico’s first ever auction of its deepwater exploration areas.

“Mexico is largely underexplored and holds substantial material opportunities, and we are very pleased to add Block 6 to our growing exploration portfolio in Mexico, and be one of the early movers in this basin.

“This is in line with our strategy to explore for material oil in underexplored prospective regions,” said Petronas Vice-President of Exploration, Upstream, Emeliana Rice-Oxley.

With a total of 5,491 sq km in gross acreage in the Salina Basin to-date, Petronas said, it would continue to chart its growth strategy in Mexico, supported by a new office in Mexico City that would commence operations in the third quarter of this year. – Bernama